Audi A3 vs Peugeot 308

The Audi A3 starts from $54,800 before on-road costs, while the Peugeot 308 opens at $48,990. That makes the Peugeot 308 the more affordable entry point by $5,810.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $60,280 and $53,889 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Peugeot 308 by roughly $1,570 in fuel alone.

Both the Audi A3 and Peugeot 308 hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Adult occupant protection scored 89% for the Audi A3 and 79% for the Peugeot 308.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The Audi A3 packs more ADAS features with 7 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 6 in the Peugeot 308.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 6 in the Audi A3 and 6 in the Peugeot 308.

The Audi A3 features a 10.1-inch touchscreen paired with a 12.3-inch digital dash, while the Peugeot 308 gets a 10-inch display and 10-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Audi A3 stands out with Apple CarPlay, heated front seats and ambient lighting that you will not find on the Peugeot 308. The Peugeot 308 counters with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless charging, panoramic roof and Focal audio. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

Interior trim differs: the Audi A3 gets leather upholstery while the Peugeot 308 offers synthetic leather.

The Audi A3 uses a Petrol MHEV producing 110kW and 250Nm of torque, sent through a 7-speed s tronic to a FWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 8.1 seconds.

The Peugeot 308 responds with a Hybrid making 100kW and 230Nm, paired to a automatic driving the front wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 9 seconds.

The Audi A3 has the clear power advantage at 110kW vs 100kW. In the real-world sprint, the Audi A3 is 0.9s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Audi A3 measures 4,352mm long on a 2,635mm wheelbase, 13mm shorter than the Peugeot 308 at 4,365mm (2,675mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Peugeot 308 generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 325L in the Audi A3 and 384L in the Peugeot 308, giving the Peugeot 308 a 59L advantage.

For towing, the Audi A3 leads with a 1,200kg braked capacity vs 1,150kg. That 50kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $1,511/year for the Audi A3 and $1,197/year for the Peugeot 308. That is a $314 annual difference in favour of the Peugeot 308.

Estimated annual total: $1,511 (Audi A3) vs $1,197 (Peugeot 308). The Peugeot 308 saves you roughly $314 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

Warranty: 5 years / 999,999km (Audi A3) vs 5 years / 200,000km (Peugeot 308). Both match on warranty length.